Vehicle-wheel.



u. M. LAMBERT.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION HLED FEB.15,19I3 .R|ENEWED APR. 7, 9n.

1,260,029. Patented'Mar. 19, 1918.

VITNESSES: INVESTOR .Md QWM A'rrnusuv W [fen/y zzzmaerz' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY M. LAMBERT, OF PORTLAND, OREGON, ASSIGNOR TO OLIVER A. SHAW, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

7 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

Application filed February 15, 1913, SerialNo. 748,615. Renewed April 7, 1917. Serial No. 160,548.

land, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to resilient wheels of the type involving a central floating wheel part, with a rim or felly encompassedby a tire or tread spaced from the felly of the wheel part by a mechanical structure designed to produce a cushioning effect similar to that of an ordinary pneumatic tire.

It is one of the important objects of the present invention to provide a cushioning structure for vehicle wheels or other adaptations which will be of comparatively shallow thickness or projection from the surface of the felly of the wheel, and which cushioning structure consists of few, simple and substantialparts, so designed, arranged and mounted that it is impossible for the elements to tilt or upset to inoperative or dangerous angular position.

The invention consists in combination with a wheel structure, of circumferentially spaced leaf springs adjustable on the rim of the wheel structure, atensioning band supported upon said springs, and an outside tire or tread so constructed and arranged as to be supported on said band intermediate of said spring supports as to yield and react as th wheel travels along the ground. Figure 1 is a side elevation partl in section of a fragment of the improved wheel.

Fig. 2 is a cross section of the wheel on'line X-X, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the springs.

Fig. 4 shows a fragment of of the wheel. 1

In my present invention 2 represents a portion of a felly of a wheel, and 3 is an outside tread member suitably spaced from the telly. Between the felly 2 and the tire or tread '3 is interposed my cushioning structure for obtaining the desired resiliency of the wheel. The cushioning structure consists of a nonstretching band 4 of fabric or other suitable. material, between which and the felly 2 are a modification interposed the flattened springs 5,which are centrally perforated, as at 6, to receive the stop pins 7 projecting from the telly 2 of the wheel; the springs reacting against the folly when subjected to load.

I have shown each spring 5 as consisting of a substantially fiat strip or strips of appropriate length and ofa width approximating the width of the felly 2; each of the springs 5 being provided at its ends with the outwardly projecting bridges or supports 8 over which the tensioning band 4 is suitably stretched. While the bridges 8 of each spring 5 may be formed integrally with the spring body, I have shown in Fig. 3 a bridge 8 as provided at one edge with a hook 9 adapted to be inserted through a slot or aperture 10, of which there is one at each end of the bridge 5; the latter being provided with upturned flanges 11 with which the hooks 9 of the'bridges 8 interlock. The opposite parallel edge of each of the bridges 8 rests freely on the upper or outer surface of its respective spring 5.

For the purpose of preventing the band 4 from circumferential creep, some or all of the bridges may be slotted. or perforated, as at 12, to receive the pins 13 projecting inwardly through wearln plates or shoes 14 riveted, as at 15, to the mner surface of the i band 4. The tire 3, which is preferably flexible, is

16 17 each similar to the springs 5; the outer springs 16 having end bridge portions 18 formed or interlocked with their respective spring members 16, which outer bridge members engage and support the rim 3. Each of the bridge members 18 has at its outer ends upturned lips or flanges 19 for preventing lateral movement of the tread 3, though this may be accomplished by wardly projecting pins 20 of the tread 3 engageable with the walls of a slot or aperture 21 formed in'each brid 'e for the purpose of preventing circumf ment of the tread 3.

The cushioning springs 17 are placed in erential movetive springs 16 and are of similar character,

each having transverse supports or inverted arcuate bridges 22 resting upon the outer surface of the band 4 at positions intermediate of the supporting bridges 8, beneath the'band 4. The several supporting springs 5, 16 and 17 may be of appropriate construc- I encircling flexible tire, a flexible cushioning band interposed between the rim and tire, tangential spring supports interposed between the tire and band and each consisting of bowed springs arranged back to back and having on their ends oppositely extending bridges seating respectively on the band having outwardly extending bridges provided with slots, a flexible band Surrounding the spring supports and having inwardly extending pins engaging in the slots of the bridges to permit of limited relative circumferential movement of the band, and spring supports arranged between the tire and band and engaging with the band at points intermediate the bridges of the first spring supports.

6. In combination, a vehicle wheel, a flexible and compressible tire thereon, a flexible, corded band on which the tire is supported spaced radially from the wheel rim, the cords in said band being stretched to their approximate limit of elongation before beinglaid, whereby to remove substantially all stretch therefrom, and yielding supports between said band and wheel rim, whereby the stretchless band, when flexed inwardly by the tire in meeting a large obstruction, will cause the supports throughout the circumference of the Wheel rim to be compressed.

7. In combination, a vehicle wheel and a.

cushion tire therefor, comprising a flexible,

corded band spaced radially from the wheel rim, the cords in said band being stretched to their approximate limit of elongation before being laid, whereby to remove sub stantially all stretch therefrom, yielding supports interposed between said band and the rigid rim of the wheel, aflexible band spaced radia ly from said non-stretchable band and constituting the tread of the tire, and resilient spacers between said tread and non-stretchable bands.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand 1n the presence of two SLlbSCIlblIIg witnesses.

HENRY M. LAMBERT.

Witnesses:

J only H. HERRING, V. W. HEALEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0.? 

